The Gallery Of The Macabre
by Werecat Boy
Summary: The people in the portraits from the Haunted Mansion each have their own story to tell.
1. BURYING THE HATCHET

This little Haunted Mansion anthology series will be based on the stories behind the people in the stretching, changing, and staring portraits from the mansion. In some ways, it is also inspired by the concept of Rod Serling's television series Night Gallery, and the opening and closing monologues to the stories is my little tribute to Alfred Hitchcock and his television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Enjoy!

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**BURYING THE HATCHET**

_Good evening, and welcome to the Haunted Mansion's Gallery. Our first portrait depicts an elderly woman named Abigale Patecleaver. Here we see this delightful, old woman sitting on top of her husband's grave and holding a rose in her hand. You wouldn't think it, but this smiling woman is actually...a murderer. Yes, this gray-haired old woman who could look like anyone's grandmother, actually is a murderer. And a mostly grizzly one she is, at that. Her tale is one that involves rage, frustration, deceit, and revenge. A gruesome little tale illustrated here in this painting that we like to call: The "Grieving" Widow._

**Abigale Patecleaver:**

**The "Grieving" Widow**

**(1845-1908)**

The trouble all began in 1845: that was the year Abigale was born. Miss Abigale was born into the wealthy and very respected Patecleaver family. She was raised to be a prim and proper lady as it was in those days. Even though her parents were very strict about teaching her how to fit into society, Abigale still managed to have a happy childhood.

When she blossomed into a young woman at the age of 20, her parents arranged for her to wed a wealthy and respected businessman named George Gracey (Master Gracey's uncle). Abigale didn't object to the arranged marriage, and actually found George to be quite charming. It was only after the wedding that the real trouble began. Being a financially important man, George spent most of his time away from Abigale on business trips. However, when George was home, he and Abigale constantly quarreled and bickered. Most of the arguments were started by George, who would constantly badger his wife over the most minuscule things. And if he wasn't arguing with his wife, then he would tell her pointless, boring stories about his trips.

Needless to say, the couple grew isolated and bitter. Their dislike for each other soon evolved into resentment, and finally hatred. Eventually, when they would be both home, they would hardly even say two words to each other. But they continued to stay with one another, for each other's money. Abigale felt trapped by her over-bearing and short-tempered husband. She wanted to escape.

She would be granted her freedom on a warm June night in 1908. George returned home from a business trip in New York, and as usual hardly said anything to Abigale all evening. The trouble started close to midnight, after all the servants left and George and Abigale were the only ones in the house. George's box of cigars had been misplaced, and he searched furiously for them. In a rage, he accused Abigale of hiding his cigars to aggravate him and started up another one of his arguments with her. The two shouted and quarreled hysterically in one of the largest arguments they had. In a fit of rage, Abigale stormed out of the house, and into the backyard. She wanted to be rid of George once and for all.

Grabbing a hatchet from the woodcutter's shed, she snuck up behind her husband who sat in his favorite armchair, blissfully unaware of what his wife was scheming. Abigale treaded quietly behind him, and proceeded to thrust the hatchet into his skull.

She felt a rush of relief after doing the murderous deed. After 43 years, she was finally free at last. But soon her joy was washed away with a shock of reality: what was she going to do with George's body? She and George were the only ones home, and the authorities would certainly pinpoint her as the prime suspect. Abigale frantically thought of burying the body somewhere in the backyard first, but then realized that the townspeople would be curious as to why he was missing. She then proceeded to hatch another idea in her mind. She overturned furniture and scattered papers, making it appear as though there was a great struggle. She would tell the authorities that a crazed person had broke into the house, had a struggle with George, and then murdered him. After setting the scene, Abigale quickly called the police. When they came to question her, she told them she was upstairs and heard someone break open the door, followed by what sounded like a fight. She hurried downstairs and saw that the room was in shambles. She told them after coming down the staircase, she briefly witnessed a man dash quickly out the main door and into the street. Heading into the parlor, there she observed in horror the dead body of her husband with a hatchet firmly planted in his head.

Most of the community believed Abigale's fake story. They saw her as a kind, harmless old woman, and couldn't fathom that someone like her would commit such a terrible crime. However, members of the Gracey family could. They knew about the couple's arguments, and how they both resented and deeply hated each other. Many of the Graceys were sure that Abigale murdered George out of rage. They requested for a court trial, and Abigale was put on the stand.

Many people who were present at the trial, would most certainly testify that the prosecutor was merciless against Abigale. And despite there being no definitive proof that she was the murderer, members of the Gracey family refused to dismiss the case. Eventually, the judge and the jury acquitted her due to lack of evidence.

Now a "widow" and a free woman, Abigale was overjoyed. Although, she kept her happiness secret, and put up a sad and grief-stricken front when around friends and relatives. She legally changed her name, back to her maiden name Patecleaver to be rid of the reminder that she was once George's wife. But, her happiness would not last long. Her joy would actually cause her demise.

Two weeks after George's death, the now Widow Patecleaver visited the cemetery to supposedly place a rose atop his grave. At least, that's what she told her servants. Abigale's real reason was so she could have the "final insult" against him. Alone in the cemetery, she approached her late husband's grave and let out her anger and hatred against the man. She proceeded to kick the bust of his head at the tomb's base repeatedly. Happily, she stomped upon her husband's plot and kicked the fresh dirt in a fury, gleefully mocking and spiting the deceased man. And all the while she shouted at the dead man, "You don't deserve peaceful rest!" She then climbed atop the high grave and mockingly sat upon it, proving to herself that at last she had finally got even with George.

However, Miss Patecleaver's happiness was only momentarily. She leaned took far backward and lost her balance, toppling off the high grave. She landed on the hard ground, with her neck broken and twisted from the fall.

_Poor Miss Patecleaver. I'm glad this is just a written story, and you didn't have to witness the horrible sight of her body. I mean, it was a terrible fall she took, I think her neck broke immediately. It's hard to describe, the...twisting of the neck...well, I don't think I'll dwell upon it. But, even though she was a murderer, you have to sympathize with her. I mean, she was married to this uncaring man who constantly picked arguments with her for 43 years. Surely, that would make anyone snap. But as always, the criminal typically never gets away with the crime. And some might even say that since she fell off George's tomb, he got his revenge even after death._

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The name "Abigale Patecleaver" came from an early 1968 draft of the Haunted Mansion script written by X. Atencio.


	2. A CASE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

**A CASE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS**

_The person (or victim) in our next portrait, didn't witness such a painful death like Miss Patecleaver. This person's death was very quick, and you might say he went up in a blast of glory. Our next portrait depicts here, this stately ambassador in his immaculate-looking suit - a fellow named Mr. Alexander Nitrokoff. Now, diplomat Nitrokoff was a very stern man, who loved to give orders to everyone. He was also a very corrupt and deceitful gentleman, and he ... you know as I look upon this portrait there's something quite unusual about it. I can't quite put my finger on it. Oh yes, of course, he's only wearing boxer shorts from the waist down. Now I'm sure you're probably wondering why this serious fellow doesn't have his trousers on. It's an interesting little tale that's displayed here, in this portrait that we entitle: The Stately Ambassador._

**Alexander Nitrokoff:**

**The Stately Ambassador**

**(1864-1923)**

Mr. Alexander Nitrokoff was raised in a wealthy and opulent household. As a child, he grew up fascinated with foreign countries around the globe. His father, an important businessman, traveled to far-flung cities around the world, and after his trips he would always bring back his son a painting or a photograph of these exotic places. Young Alexander became fascinated with these photographs and paintings, each of them depicting a wondrous new place the young lad had never seen before: the jungles of Africa; the tropical South Seas islands; the bustling cities and villages of Europe; the majestic mountains of Asia. It soon became the young boy's ambitions that when he grew up, he would travel to these far away places.

This desire never left the young man, even as he continued his way into college. There he studied foreign and diplomatic relations, and after college, he went into politics. After years of political and foreign knowledge, he was finally elected as a diplomat to the United States embassy in Washington, D.C. A year later, he was then appointed as an ambassador.

As an ambassador, Nitrokoff achieved his dream: he traveled as a United States representative to capitols around the world, seeing exotic new locations. As a representative, he soon gained a reputation as a commanding and brash gentleman. He always thought his opinions were the right ones, and argued with anyone who thought otherwise. And it wouldn't be too long before the seeds of corruption would set in.

While traveling abroad to other countries as a representative of the United States, he was offered secret bribes by radical underground organizations for access to top-secret American documents. Mr. Nitrokoff first scoffed at the notion, proclaiming that he was true and faithful to his country. But eventually, as the bribes grew to larger amounts, the greedy ambassador caved in. Through connections at government office buildings, he was able to obtain copies of important United States documents and smuggled them overseas to the secret underground organizations.

His greed eventually increased, and soon the secret transfers of documents were not enough to satisfy him. When America went to battle in the "Great War" (World War I), Nitrokoff became a war profiteer. Through secret connections, he obtained American and German weapons, automobile parts, and ship parts; which he then later sold on the black market to the highest bidder.

Nobody suspected anything of Ambassador Nitrokoff's secret connections and transactions. Everyone looked upon him as a revered and respected (yet brash) diplomat. And thus, the elderly man was free to continue his secretive smugglings; which would eventually end one night in 1923, where his own greediness would cause his demise.

In what perhaps was the ambassador's most dangerous and traitorous smuggling operation, was the agreement of the diplomat to ship ten kegs of dynamite to an underground guerilla organization in southern Asia. Before exporting the secretive explosives off on a ship, Nitrokoff went down to a warehouse at the docks and met with his contact that obtained the dynamite, to discuss their payment. Being the greedy and stingy man that he was, the ambassador relented to pay his contact what he thought was fair. The contact demanded that he be rewarded more money for such a dangerous operation as this, yet still Mr. Nitrokoff refused. Soon, a fight broke out between the gentlemen, with the contact repeatedly punching the ambassador, before stealing the man's wallet, shoving him into the warehouse, and locking him inside.

Alone in the darkened warehouse, Nitrokoff stumbled around looking for a light. He finally came across a candle lying on the floor, and using a pack of matches from his pocket, lit the wick. However, before he could clearly see what he was doing, he brought the flame of the candle up to a fuse on one of the dynamite kegs, lighting it as well. Hearing the sound of the burning fuse, Nitrokoff quickly looked around and finally discovered in horror what he had just accidentally done. Frantically dashing through the warehouse he looked for another escape route, but soon discovered that the only exit was the one locked door.

His glance then came upon a row of windows that were high up near the ceiling. Quickly and frantically, he piled crates that had been discarded around the warehouse on top of each other, in hopes of climbing atop them to reach and escape through the windows. However, only halfway up, he lost his balance with his pants being caught on the edge of one of the crates. He tumbled down to the floor, with his pants ripping and his shoes flying off his feet. Now in his socks and red and white striped boxer shorts, he made a vain attempt to try to extinguish the fuse in his final moments. However, Mr. Alexander Nitrokoff's time ran out, and he soon went up in a fiery explosion.

_A very, twisted little tale, don't you think? I'm sure after witnessing such heinous crimes that he committed, many of us feel that Mr. Nitrokoff got what he rightfully deserved. I think poetic justice is what you might call it - that in the end, his own greed led him to meet his maker. But, you can certainly say one thing about Mr. Nitrokoff: he did leave this world with a bang._

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Next chapter: the story of the lovely tightrope walker and how she met her end because of a large reptile. 


	3. IN THE BALANCE

**IN THE BALANCE**

_In our next portrait, we finally look at someone who didn't deserve to perish so gruesomely like our previous subjects. It just happened to be that this woman's life-long dream profession would be the cause of her death. This is the lovely Miss Lily Equipoes: a bright, young woman, here elegantly outfitted in her summer dress and holding a parasol. She certainly is a radiant, beautiful woman, with the warm demure expression on her face. However, there seems to be something very peculiar in this portrait - she's standing on a tightrope. Unfortunately, this tightrope would lead to her demise, for you see, under this rope was a...Well, maybe I should let you read it for yourselves. The story of Lily Equipoes: The Tightrope Walker._

**Lily Equipoes:**

**The Tightrope Walker**

**(1887-1911)**

Miss Lily Equipoes grew up in the Georgia countryside in the late 1880s to 1890s. Her parents were wealthy farmers, who owned a vast amount of land and made their fortune from prosperous crop growing. Like all young Southern women in society, she was raised to be a "prim and proper lady." However, young Lily silently detested the ways her parents tried to enforce their "ladylike" teachings on her, and she became a proper yet outspoken woman.

Besides her outspoken behavior, her parents were also annoyed with her dreams of wanting to become a tightrope walker at a circus. When Lily was seven years old, the Kepple Bros. Circus had come to their town, and her parents decided to take her to see the show one night. Little Lily enjoyed the show immensely, but the one thing that intrigued her the most was the tightrope act. She watched in amazement as the pretty young performer gracefully balanced herself on the rope. She couldn't believe the sight; that the only thing that stood between the woman and gravity was the rope.

After having seen the show, Lily's ambition was to become a tightrope walker at a circus. She wanted to perform the same gravity-defying feats before amazed audiences. Every day, the young girl practiced her balance, improving as the months and years went on. However, her parents were strongly opposed to the whole thing. In their eyes, their young daughter was to become a proper lady, not a "low-level performer," especially not at a place as "vulgar" as the circus. Lily refused to discuss the matter with her parents any further, but always continued thinking about her dream.

As the years went by, Lily blossomed into a gorgeous, bright young lady. Soon, her parents were intent on marrying her off to another wealthy and socialite family. Lily was terribly bored by the young suitors her parents brought to her, and she was disgusted by their arrogant and greedy attitudes. Feeling under the pressure about the whole issue of marriage from her parents, she slipped out of her room in the middle of the night and ran off to pursue her childhood dream of fame at the circus.

She wandered across the Southern countryside for a few days, before discovering the Crump Bros.'s Circus in Florida. After watching her audition, Mr. Crump the ringmaster hired her on the spot as the show's tightrope walker. Every night, her act consisted of walking across a rope that was a little less wider than a human thumb, suspended high up in the air over the audience. Lily loved her new profession and quickly fit in with the rest of the circus performers and workers. She felt more comfortable with the common people than she ever did when she was living with her parents.

At the circus, Lily also developed a romance with Philip the animal trainer. The two soon fell head-over-heels in love with each other. Sadly though, this romance only lasted a few months: during one of his performances, Philip was killed after an elephant broke free and went mad, trampling upon the poor young man. Miss Lily was devastated and heart-broken after hearing of the incident.

Although, the biggest shock to Lily was still to come. At one of her performances, a little more than a year after she joined the circus, her parents showed up. They had been searching all around for her, and found Lily after one of Mrs. Equipoes's friends noticed a poster while walking past the circus that stated: "**_See, Miss Lily! The Beauty Of The Highwire!_**" They were intent on bringing her back home to marry a man that they arranged for her to wed. But the young Lily insistently told them that she wanted to stay at the circus, arguing that she had been happier here than at home. Even though they were greatly opposed to Lily's decision, her parents eventually allowed her to stay after seeing how much she loved performing at the circus. A few days later they returned to Georgia, and, unknowingly, would never see their daughter alive again.

Lily blissfully continued her act at the circus for another year; and then one day she received a letter. It was from William Gracey (whose parents had been close friends with the Equipoeses) inviting Lily to his wedding in southern Louisiana. Deciding to attend the event, she took the train, and at the station rented a carriage to take her the rest of the way to William's mansion. While traveling down a small road in the carriage, the horse was suddenly spooked and galloped off the path, taking the coachman and Lily into the thick brush. The horse eventually broke free, and the carriage went careening around the trees, until it finally rolled over and landed in the thick mud of the swamps. Lily survived and managed to climb out of the carriage; although the driver was not as fortunate - Lily discovered him lying dead near a tree.

Now hopelessly lost, she wandered though the thick bogs of the swamp hoping to find the main road again. She eventually ended up along the banks of a murky river, where she could see a small town back in the trees on the other side. The only problem was she could find no way to cross. The river was certainly too deep to walk across, so she strolled along the banks, hoping to find some way to reach the other side.

Miss Lily then finally discovered something that could be of help: an old rope suspended over the river tied to two poles, each on the opposite riverbanks. Seeing no other way to cross, she climbed the rope and began to slowly walk across. Having mastered her talent at the circus, she found it very simple to gracefully walk across; unfortunately she hadn't planned on one thing. The old rope (worn through the years of just hanging above the river) started to unravel as Lily was halfway across the rope. Oblivious to this, she continued across the rope, but noticed that it began to sway more and more. Soon, the last thread unraveled, and Lily plummeted into the waters below.

Resurfacing, she tried to swim across the river, yet then noticed near the surface of the water were crocodiles quickly speeding towards her. She screamed in fright, and began to yell for help as she continued swimming closer to the shore. Some people from the riverside town ran outside to see what was all the commotion, and witnessed the young woman struggling to out-swim the crocodiles. Unfortunately, the large reptiles were too fast, and pulled poor Lily under the water; where they proceeded to swarm the poor young woman in the murky depths below.

_Such a tragic tale, isn't it? It seems most unfair that the young Lily Equipoes was taken to regions beyond in such a gruesome manner. Such a lovely young woman; she enjoyed performing her act so much. But, I guess it's certainly true what they say: there's no business like show business, like no business I know._

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Note: the names Kepple and Crump are my little tributes to Kepple Disney (Walt Disney's grandfather) and Rolly Crump (a Disney Imagineer who helped design the Haunted Mansion).

Next chapter: the story of the politician, the lawyer, and the accountant who met their end in the jungle


	4. A SINKING FEELING

**A SINKING FEELING**

_The next portrait in our ghoulish gallery is indeed a most unusual one. Depicted in an air of prominence is Mr. Norman Dowsand, a wealthy politician. Here, he is dressed up in his finest suit with a derby hat and a look of smug self-satisfaction upon his round face. Yet, what is most odd about this painting is that Mr. Dowsand is seated atop the shoulders of his lawyer, a Mr. Clarence Midalf; an older-looking fellow with a mustache and a worried look upon his face. And the curious nature of the portrait continues, as Midalf is sitting on top of the shoulders of Mr. Emmet Bog, Mr. Dowsand's accountant, who sports an exprssion of sheer terror. I'm sure you're probably wondering why this trio of gentlemen are sitting on each other's shoulders, and the events that led up to it. It's the tale of Norman Dowsand, Clarence Midalf, and Emmet Bog: The Politician, The Lawyer and The Accountant._

**William Dowsand; Clarence Midalf: Emmet Bog:**

**The Politician, The Lawyer, And The Accountant**

**(1876-1921); (1874-1921); (1878-1921)**

Since anyone could remember, Mr. Norman Dowsand, Clarence Midalf, and Emmet Bog were the most crooked men anyone had ever met. The three gentlemen met each other while attending Harvard University, where they became fast friends. After college, Dowsand became a local politician, and was eventually elected as the mayor of the small town of Grand Shores, Connecticut. Soon after being elected, he hired his two closest friends: Midalf and Bog as his lawyer and accountant. This devious trio soon formed their own group of corruption.

Dowsand was a smug man, always having confidence in everything he did - even when he knew he was doing something deceitful and heinous. He never really cared about the people of Grand Shores, and never did anything prosperous in office. The only thing he cared about was the taxpayers' money, which he secretly hoarded for himself. Sometimes, he even created fake taxes and swindled the poor townsfolk. To throw off any suspicion of his friend, Bog would write off the money and juggle the figures carefully, so there would be no record of the taxes.

As an attorney, Midalf also similarly aided his friend Dowsand. If Dowsand was put on trial, Midalf would often secretly bribe members of the jury to vote innocent.

But eventually, their unknown corruption was soon detected. After irate citizens complained to officials in Washington, D.C. (Dowsand had convinced the townspeople that the U.S. government was responsible for his own tax hikes), the government began to investigate Dowsand and his decisions while in office as mayor. In fear of being captured by the government, Mayor Dowsand gathered as much money as he could from the town's treasury, and fled the country to Brazil with his friends Midalf and Bog.

However, unbeknownst to their best friend, Midalf and Bog were secretly hatching a plan of their own. While in Brazil, they planned to dispose of Mr. Dowsand, and divide the dead man's vast fortune between each other.

A few days after arriving in Brazil, the two men put their plan into action, while taking a trek through the jungle along the banks of the Amazon River. While stopping for a rest from walking, Midalf and Bog saw this as the opportune moment to shove Dowsand into the alligator-infested river while the man had his back turned. However, while sneaking up behind Dowsand, Bog found it very difficult to move. In horror, he discovered that he was up to his shins in sand; the trio had actually stopped to rest atop a large patch of quicksand.

Bog struggled to break free, but only wound up sinking faster into the deep pit of sand. He shouted to Midalf and Dowsand, and the two men tried to pull Bog out of the sand to no avail. Soon, the two men began to notice that the sand was starting to slowly cover their own feet. Frantically, they tried to escape the pit, but with each step they took they only sank further into the sand. Glancing around anxiously for a way out, Dowsand noticed a large sturdy tree branch hanging high over the men's heads. He instructed that if they sat on each other's shoulders, they might be able to grab the branch and pull themselves free.

Midalf managed to pull his feet out of the muck and sand, and sat atop Bog's shoulders, while Dowsand proceeded to climb and sit atop Midalf's shoulders. Dowsand struggled to grasp the high branch, but he was only able to barely brush it with his fingertips. Eventually, the combined weight of all three men only made them sink faster to their doom: Bog quickly disappeared down into the pit, followed by Midalf, and finally Dowsand submerging into the sandy grave. The only thing that was ever left of the three gentlemen was Dowsand's brown derby hat, which lightly rested on the surface of the quicksand pit.

_A chilling tale of deceit and greed, wasn't it? The three most corrupt and devious men known, who were sent to their just reward. I wonder if they ever regretted their decision to venture into the jungle that day. However, one thing is for certain: they most certainly felt a deep "sinking feeling."_

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Next chapter: the story of the young Master Gracey and his ill-fated wedding. 


	5. DARK DAY FOR A WEDDING

**DARK DAY FOR A WEDDING**

_Our next portrait reveals, what may be, our most shocking and chilling tale in this gallery so far. It looks innocent enough: a handsome, smiling aristocratic young man, with raven-black hair and outfitted in a fine Victorian suit. Although you would not know it by just looking at him, this dashing gentleman was actually responsible for the deaths of three people - two of which he murdered in cold blood. It's a most gruesome tale of love, betrayal, frustration, and anguish, that is told within this one unassuming portrait. The story of William Gracey: The Murderous Master._

**William Gracey:**

**The Murderous Master**

**(1886 - 1911)**

William Gracey was born in 1886 to Marcus and Wilhelmina Gracey, a young wealthy couple in northern Virginia. At the age of only 32, Wilhelmina came down with a case of pneumonia and died when William was only 12, leaving Marcus the task of having to bring up and raise the young Master by himself. Marcus was the proprietor of the vast Gracey Shipbuilding Co., with locations in bustling ports such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and New Orleans; this company was the basis of the Gracey family's wealth. Marcus would always take young William down to his company's main office in Richmond, and show the young lad around the buildings and warehouses. Needless to say, the Master grew up having an affinity for ships and the ocean.

With the family's fortune, Marcus sent William to only the finest and most exclusive boarding schools and colleges for the young man's education. He attended schools and universities in New York, Georgia (where he met the acquaintance of a young lovely woman named Lily Equipoes), and New Orleans (a city which would become very dear to the young man's heart).

At the age of 23, while away in school at New Orleans, the Master received word that his father had been extremely ill and passed away - leaving the entire family fortune and shipbuilding company to William. With his family's wealth, he purchased a regal estate in New Orleans and transported the company's main headquarters to the city - his new permanent home. Gracey continued operating his father's shipbuilding company, knowing well that his father had wanted him to oversee it.

With his new wealth, Master Gracey also became part of the aristocratic high society in New Orleans. Although, despite having more than enough wealth, the other socialites thought Gracey to be what they called the "nouveau-riche" - having the money, but spending it in extravagant ways. One decision the Master made that many found extremely unusual was the hiring of a middle-aged fortune-teller and spirit medium named Madame Leota as his advisor. One of his more unusual hobbies, William was intrigued by the idea of supernatural contact. He would sometimes conduct seances with Leota to summon local apparitions, but mostly he asked her for advice since it was believed the woman could see into the future with the help of the spirits.

One night at an autumn cotillion hosted by one of his socialite friends, Gracey was introduced to the beautiful young Annabelle Noridge - a lovely woman who came from a wealthy family that prospered from importing and exporting valuable possessions to Europe. The Master was completely captivated by the young woman's charm and beauty. After talking and dancing the rest of the night, the two instantly fell in love with each other. Master Gracey courted the young lady for many months, and then finally proposed to her. Annabelle was overjoyed and accepted Gracey's proposal.

Head-over-heels in love with his stunning fiancee, William proposed to build a magnificent mansion with his fortune. He purchased a large area of land at the edge of town for a surprisingly small amount (due to its location next to a graveyard that people believed to be haunted). Construction of the grand mansion then began; preparing the large structure to be ready a month before the wedding. Gracey spared no expense in creating the elaborate estate for him and his bride; opulent chambers such as portrait galleries, a library, conservatory, grand hall and ballroom, and even a seance parlor were built. The mansion was finished precisely on time, and the Master moved out of his estate and into the large manor.

But as the day of the wedding loomed closer, dark clouds would begin to form on the happy day. The night before the wedding, after all preparations for the ceremony and the reception were finished, William sat down to a seance conducted by Madame Leota. Leota told the Master of a grave vision she had received the night before: a death will occur on the day of the wedding. Master Gracey was deeply disturbed by the Madame's ominous prediction, but he would not let anything stop the joyous day that he had been waiting for. He argued with her, insisting that her prediction must be wrong, but Leota constantly retorted that a death would most certainly happen on the wedding day. Infuriated, he stormed out of the room and retired to his chamber for the rest of the night.

The next day, Gracey made sure that everything went perfectly. Family and friends of Gracey and Annabelle gathered in the mansion's grand hall waiting to head to the church, while William and Annabelle prepared for the ceremony in their separate chambers. Leota still insistently told the Master that he should cease the ceremony before something tragic occurs, but he wouldn't hear a word of it.

Everything was prepared, and Gracey headed downstairs to the grand hall to greet the guests and leave for the church. Yet, after more than half an hour, Annabelle had not yet arrived downstairs. William assured everyone that he would go and find her. He frantically searched the upstairs of the mansion, finding no sign of his beloved bride. Finally, hearing voices emitting from the stairs to the attic, the Master ascended up to the lofty storage area.

There behind some piles of junk, Gracey witnessed a young man adjusting Annabelle's veil and dress. Jealousy washed over the young Master and he confronted the gentleman; demanding furiously what he was doing up in the attic with his bride. The gentleman only stammered nervously, obviously frightened by Gracey. William kept on demanding an answer from the gentleman, but the man only continued to stammer. Convinced that he was some secret lover of Annabelle's, Master Gracey grabbed an axe discarded among the junk in a fit of jealous rage, and proceeded to lop off the man's head, with the severed head flying through the air and landing in an open hatbox.

Annabelle was in complete horror after watching this scene unfold. William kept trying to move closer to his fiancee to comfort her, but she just kept backing away apprehensively from her now murderous lover. The Master tried to explain to her, but Annabelle just continued to back away further from him and shouted "Get away from me!" However, what the young woman did not realize was that she had just backed herself to the attic window. Gracey once again moved closer, only to have Annabelle shout "Get away!" and turn around and start to run. However, having no idea she was against the window, she turned and crashed through the glass.

Horrified, Gracey rushed over to the broken window, and peered down to find Annabelle's body lying cold, dead, and twisted on the ground.

In a state of shock, Gracey stared at Annabelle's body in disbelief, and turned back around to view the decapitated man's corpse. As he glanced over the deceased man's body, William noticed a bag that the gentleman had been carrying. Stated in stylized letters across the bag were the words, "Royal Street Bridal Courier Services."

The Master was then overcome with the realization of his actions; he had just murdered an innocent man and caused the death of his fiancee. What was even more frightening was that this is what Leota had predicted - a death occurring on the day of his wedding.

Struck with fear and dread, Gracey dashed out of the attic, still carrying the blood-dripping axe, and ran into the seance parlor to find Leota. As the Master approached, the Madame seemed to be not in the least bit surprised to see him clutching the blade. William frantically told Leota what had just happened; and the woman only icily replied, "I know." She explained to him, that she see had seen it all in her vision: the murder of the courier and the death of Annabelle. Gracey could not believe what he had just heard; this medium he trusted had known all along that Annabelle would die on this day and did not tell him. He cursed and shouted at Leota about her withholding the knowledge of Annabelle's death.

William felt rage building up inside him. His hatred and frustration toward the Madame reached its peak; and he released it with one swift swing of the bloody axe toward the medium's throat. The sickening sound of Leota's body and head collapsing to the floor seemed to echo throughout the large chamber. Seeming to have awaken from a dream, the reality of what his hatred had committed almost shattered his mind. He dropped the axe to the floor with a deafening thud after looking over the former medium's body. That was now two; two innocent people he had just murdered.

Master Gracey wandered the mansion's halls in a daze, tormented by the fact that he murdered two people. He knew he would never be able to live with the guilt of what he had just committed. Heading into the grand hall, Gracey decided he would tell everyone what had just happened. But after entering the grand hall, before he could announce the dreadful news to everyone, he was told by some of his relatives that they received word that one of his closest friends, Lily Equipoes, had just died on the way to the wedding - devoured by crocodiles in a river that was less than a mere mile away from the mansion.

The Master couldn't believe what he had just heard: one of his closest and dearest friends had just perished on the way to his wedding. All he could now think of in his mind was that four people were dead: an innocent courier and his most trusted advisor which he both murdered; his fiancee now dead due to his murderous rage; and one of his closest friends who died gruesomely on the way to his wedding. Gracey left the hall and paced through the mansion, tormented by the fact that four people were now dead on what was supposed to be a joyous day. At that moment, he then realized that there was nothing left in this world to live for.

Grabbing a piece of rope, William proceeded up to the highest tower of the mansion, where he tied the rope to the rafters and fashioned a noose with it. Standing atop a chair, he slipped the makeshift noose tightly around his neck, and then kicked the chair away.

_A very chilling and shocking tale, indeed. Young Master William Gracey was certainly a most rageful gentleman on the day of his wedding. However, some believe that the Master's grim actions were not made entirely on his own. Many have rumored to believe that some evil entity that was born when the house was built had possessed or driven the young man insane, which caused his murderous and vengeful rampage. We may never know the real truth behind the Master's grave decisions; but we shall always know the unfortunate events that took place on that one dark, gruesome day. _

* * *

Next Chapter: VANITY IS AGELESS - the story of Miss April/December 


	6. VANITY IS AGELESS

**VANITY IS AGELESS**

_Moving from murderous rage, our next portrait reveals a more supernatural nature. A supernatural curse to be exact. This impressive portrait depicts a Miss April DuVall; a very gorgeous young Victorian woman. Miss DuVall was certainly a most stunning lady: a beautiful angelic face; coal-black hair; and dressed in her elegant pink and white gown. However, sometimes Miss April's personality did not match her pretty facade. Being a wealthy woman, she had a tendency to look down on the poor and middle-class. Unfortunately, this attitude would lead her to meet her demise; one that was caused by this exact portrait. The Haunted Mansion's Gallery presents the story of Miss April DuVall: The Vain Aristocrat._

**Miss April DuVall:**

**The Vain Aristocrat**

**(1855-1881)**

Throughout her entire life, the two things that Miss April DuVall treasured more than anything was her beauty and wealth. Being the only daughter of the millionaire Claude DuVall of Rapid Falls, New York, she inherited the entire estate and wealth of her family. Miss April grew up to be an elegant Victorian lady, but with a flirtatious nature. Using her striking beauty, she could have any man she wanted, and had a fling with almost every young, rich bachelor in the area.

However, with her amazing beauty came a dark side: Miss April greatly looked down upon the unfortunate and poor. She disliked associating with them and being bothered with their problems. If they were lower than her in the social or wealthy class, then chances were that she would treat them as if they were wasting her precious time. It was this attitude that lead her to make a most grave mistake.

One day, while shopping in the town square of Rapid Falls, Miss DuVall was confronted by a poor old woman. The old beggar was extremely ugly, and completely dirt-poor as evidenced by the tattered clothes she was dressed in. The hag approached Miss April and pleaded with the aristocratic lady to let her paint the young woman, since painting was the only means for the beggar to get by. After arguing with the old hag for a short time, Miss April finally agreed to let her paint the portrait.

After a little while, the old crone finished the portrait and showed it to Miss DuVall. The young woman was extremely impressed by the old beggar's painting abilities; this was the best portrait of herself that she had ever seen. Miss April gleefully took the painting, yet the poor woman grabbed the picture back and demanded that she pay her. Annoyed with the old woman, April only snatched it out of the hag's gnarled hands and stormed off back to her mansion. Furious, the beggar shouted hysterically to Lady DuVall, "Beware of the hag December!"

April adored the work of art, and hanged it prominently in the center of her parlor for all to see. Though, she was still slightly disturbed by the old woman's frantic shouting, and wondered what "beware of the hag December" meant. But the young lady pushed it out of her mind, and dismissed it only as an empty threat from a raving lunatic. Little did the flirty woman know, that as the days progressed a disquieting metamorphosis would take place.

Miss DuVall went about her merry way with her aristocratic and sometimes snobbish attitude. Unbeknownst to the young girl, every time she would express derision to a poor villager or merchant, her new portrait would supernaturally age three years; and so did she. At first the changing was unnoticeable, but as the days progressed Miss April began to realize her beauty was fading fast. She started to develop a pale complexion, wrinkles under her eyes, and noticed a couple of grey hairs. She soon began to resemble a middle-aged woman, heading into her late-40s/ early-50s. She had aged more than 20 years in just a week.

All her suitors and beaus began to avoid her as she aged more rapidly. Miss April soon began to slip into a deep melancholy state, depressed as she watched her beauty fade fast. Her gorgeous appearance was the one thing she treasured most in the world, and without she would be nothing. Most of the time, she locked herself away in her room and cried; everything was disappearing or crashing down around her.

On the ninth day of aging, the now middle-aged Miss DuVall wandered aimlessly through the halls of her large mansion, and came across her portrait in the parlor. There, she noticed something that she hadn't seen before: the portrait depicted her as she appeared now, with the word "September" written in the upper right corner of the portrait. She realized it was the portrait; it was the old beggar who had done this to her. Frantically, she rushed into town to find the old woman and undo this horrible curse placed upon her.

Returning to the corner where she first met the hag, Miss April found the beggar in a small hovel situated among the otherwise pristine brick homes. The old woman did not seem in the least bit surprised to see Lady DuVall return. Miss April demanded to know what the old woman had done to her, and that she return her to her once beautiful self. The hag artist explained that she sometimes dabbled in black magic, and when the young woman had refused to pay her for the portrait, she placed a curse upon Miss DuVall: for every unkind comment or act she would display toward the poor and less fortunate, the portrait would age and she would age with it.

Miss April pleaded with the old woman to lift the curse, and gave her a very generous sum of money to undo the hex. The beggar took the money, but told Mistress DuVall that she could only stop the spell from continuing, not reverse it to change the young girl back. Miss April flew into a hateful tantrum, and demanded the old hag to change her back, but the old woman only repeated that it was impossible. Miss DuVall shouted at the crone in rage, screaming every curse and threat she could think of.

Yet with this tantrum, she continued to age three years with every foul word she shouted at the old woman. Soon, Miss April had aged well beyond pass 90 years old into a grotesque, hideous hag with wrinkles, shocking white hair, and a withered saddened face. This was the final stage of the curse: she had transformed into the old hag December. And with that, Miss April DuVall herself faded into thin air. It appeared she had completely disappeared out of sight. Yet the truth behind her demise, was that she was now trapped for eternity within the portrait displayed in her mansion. For the portrait depicted (and always will) Miss April in her original youthful and lovely state.

_A very strange little tale, wasn't it? After this incident, the old woman who had painted the portrait, told the local village children of Miss April's tale. And soon, they developed a rhyme that many of them sang around the town:_

"_Cheeks as rosy as the flowers in spring,_

_Her beauty surpassed everything._

_Miss April, the time and beginning of life,_

_Became December, cold and full of strife."_

_In fact, some even believe that Miss April's portrait is haunted by her spirit, and that if you listen closely you might here her sing this chilling rhyme created by her legend. Whether this myth is true or not, Miss April's portrait will always be seen as a work of beauty, even though the woman herself is no more. And one statement will always be true of Miss April DuVall: "beauty is fleeting, but vanity is ageless."_

* * *

A big thanks to Aquarian Wolf for coming up with the poem. 

Next chapter: the story of Merina the Beautiful Gorgon


	7. WRATH OF THE GODS

**WRATH OF THE GODS**

_Glancing into our next painting, we go further back in history, way before the Victorian and turn-of-the-century era. The next portrait in our grim gallery depicts a young maiden named Merina, who hails from ancient Greece. Merina was indeed a most lovely girl, with striking beauty and bright fiery red hair. Here in this painting we see her dressed in a deep red robe, and posing very regally in an ancient temple. This gorgeous maiden was actually a Greek goddess for a brief period of time, before her life would be ridden with fear and sorrow. We present to you the tragic myth of Merina: The Beautiful Gorgon._

**MERINA:**

**THE BEAUTIFUL GORGON**

The tale of Merina dates back to ancient Greek mythology. The young maiden was the daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Medusa, a flirtatious Grecian mortal. The girl was conceived in the Temple of Athena, the spiritual house of the goddess of wisdom, where Poseidon and Medusa carried on a brief affair. Enraged at the affair occurring in her temple, Athena appeared and transformed the beautiful Medusa into a serpent-haired creature known as the gorgon. Outcast and feared by her appearance and her ability to turn mortals into stone, Medusa lived in seclusion in a dark cave.

Shortly after, she gave birth to the young lovely Merina. Being a normal mortal child, Poseidon did not want his illegitimate daughter to be raised by Medusa and the other gorgons; so in the middle of the night, Poseidon brought her to a small seacoast village.

Merina was taken in by a middle-aged merchant couple, who raised the young girl as their own. As the years went by, Merina grew up into a beautiful lass, yet had no idea of her bizarre heritage. She would not discover her true past until the day of her 18th birthday, when she wandered into the Temple of Poseidon. There, through an impressive marble statue, the visage of the god appeared to her. He informed the maiden of her past and that she was actually his daughter.

Merina and Poseidon soon grew close to each other. Once a week, she would go to the temple where her father appeared before her, and they would sit and chat together. Poseidon became attached to his estranged daughter and wished that she could go up to Mount Olympus with him - the heavenly land high above the clouds where the gods and goddesses reigned.

Poseidon pleaded with the other gods to allow her to journey up to the divine land. But many of the others were very wary of the idea. Zeus, the god and ruler of Olympus, agreed to his brother Poseidon's request, and Merina was crowned a goddess and ascended up to the holy place.

However, while Merina was a most charming and beloved girl, many of Mount Olympus's other gods and goddesses extremely disliked the idea that a common mortal like her was granted the power of a goddess so easily. In order for a mortal to become a god, they had to show they were worthy through quests and journeys. Yet, Merina was just easily appointed a goddess without having to show why she deserved the royal position. Needless to say, the other gods looked for whatever chance they could to be rid of her.

They finally saw their chance when they discovered that Merina had been secretly visiting Earth, where she was having a liaison with a mortal named Malkas. And with that, the gods and goddesses banished Merina from Olympus forever, sending her back down to Earth. And as punishment for her crime, they transformed her into a hideous gorgon creature like her mother.

Isolated and downtrodden, Merina roamed the Greek countryside, seeking someone to help her undo the curse placed upon her. But at every village she came to, the residents would flee from her in terror, knowing full well that if anyone meets a gorgon's gaze they will be turned into stone. Town after town, the young woman's arrival was met with the same response.

One night, she finally found refuge within the Temple of Poseidon once again. She pleaded and prayed that her father would appear and come to her aide, but nothing happened. The poor creature wept for hours, before deciding to lay down for the night in the temple. Before she headed to sleep however, she glanced at herself in the large fountain in the middle of the open structure. This was the first (and last) time she saw herself after her transformation. Her gaze met the reflection in the pool, and Merina, under her own curse, inadvertently turned herself into stone.

_A very sad little mythological tale, indeed. All throughout her life, Merina had felt out of place, and when granted divinity, it would only lead to her unfortunate downfall. No one knows for sure what became of the maiden's stone form; it was believed to have been lost with the Temple of Poseidon in a landside that occurred after an earthquake. There are others out there who dismiss that such an item even exists, classifying it as just a fictional tale. Whether this story is fact or myth, who knows; but Miss Merina's tale will continue to live for ages, as evidenced in this portrait, which is believed to be one of the few pieces of art to depict her likeness._

* * *

Next chapter: the story of The Navigator - The Gorlieau Ship 


	8. SECRETS FROM THE ATTIC

**SECRETSFROM THE ATTIC**

_Looking into our next work of art, we come across one of the most complex and gruesome stories our gallery has to offer. This is the Navigator, a proud and majestic ship sailing the high seas. This grand vessel was once owned by a man named Captain Bartholomew Gorlieu, a wealthy and respected sea captain who shipped only the finest in luxury goods. Yet, Captain Gorlieu hid a dark secret from everyone; a secret that only his last wife would unearth. This innocent-looking craft is only a facade for some that is more terrifying; the tale of The Navigator: The Gorlieu Ship._

**THE NAVIGATOR:**

**THE GORLIEU SHIP**

The story of the Gorlieu ship, the Navigator, begins with the young woman Priscilla Lucretia Anderson. Miss Anderson was born in 1751 in Tarrytown, New York, a quaint village nestled in the Hudson River Valley. Her parents, John and Martha Anderson, were a very wealthy merchant couple who held great prominence in the small town. Being highly religious people, John and Martha raised young Priscilla to be a good Christian, and taught her all the morals found in the Bible. Over the years, Priscilla grew up into a lovely young lady, who strongly followed the religious ways as her parents had wanted. When she reached the age of 19, John and Martha began searching for a suitor to marry their daughter off to.

One day, while selling their wares in New York City's harbor, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson met the acquaintance of a wealthy middle-aged sea captain named Bartholomew Gorlieu. Captain Gorlieu had made his fortune with his majestic ship the Navigator, sailing the oceans of the world, exporting and importing luxury goods to foreign ports. With some of his fortune, he had built a grand and imposing manor of brick and stone atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River. After discussing with the Captain for a lengthy while, the couple decided that he would be the perfect husband for their Priscilla. They arranged the marriage, and the Captain and Miss Anderson were wed a few months later.

Priscilla was very happy at Gorlieu's mansion. The servants all adored the bright young lady, and she brought a cheerful atmosphere to the otherwise bleak manor. Although, Gorlieu and Priscilla seemed to be a very odd and drastically different couple: Priscilla was always bubbly and like a gift of life; while Gorlieu was stern and grim most of the time. Yet, the couple still managed to love each other; especially Gorlieu who, fond of her middle name, affectionately referred to Priscilla as Lucretia. However, this happy union would not be so joyous for too long.

Due to his profession, the Captain was away for months at a time on the high seas, leaving Priscilla all alone in the mansion with only the servants to keep her company. And when he finally did come home, he would often bury his head in his work and spend little time with her. Priscilla began to feel ignored and trapped by her new husband, and wanted to leave him. But having grown up in such a religious household, she was taught that such a thing would never be allowed and she would face eternal damnation if she did.

One day, while Gorlieu was out on the seas as usual, Priscilla explored the mansion's attic for the first time, curious by the pungent smell that emanated from the room. The smell seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place what it was. While searching through the dank lofty area, she stumbled over an old sea chest in the dark, accidentally opening the lid. Peering into the trunk, she discovered vast amounts of money, and to her horror, found weapons and a logbook revealing that her husband was a murderous cutthroat pirate under the alias of Captain Gore. All the times he had been out to sea, he actually had been pillaging towns, forts, and sacking and burning rival ships.

However, Priscilla found something even more disturbing about her husband. Apparently, he idolized and revered a notorious, ruthless French pirate known as Bluebeard, who terrorized the high seas in the early-1400s. Priscilla read in the book:

_Ever since I can remember, I wanted to follow in Bluebeard's footsteps. His attitude taught me there's more money in piracy than just simply exporting and importing country's goods. I shall try to live every aspect of his way of life. I shall pillage towns and ports; show no mercy; and marry seven women with the same names as his wives, then murder them as he had to receive their riches. I will live his life._

Reading on, Priscilla discovered in horror that she was not his only wife; Gorlieu had married six women before her and done off with them through horrible means. Penelope was thrown into the river by Gorlieu and drowned; Abigail was done in by poison in her tea; Anastasia passed on from a blow to the head with a fire poker; Prudence had been strangled with a piece of taut rope; Phoebe was pushed off the roof; and Eugenia was sliced through the chest with the Captain's sword. Yet the most shocking thing to Priscilla was still to come as she read on:

_Bluebeard was done in by his seventh wife, Lucretia, before he had the chance to do away with her. To avenge the memory of him, my seventh wife will be named Lucretia, and I will proceed with the chance that Bluebeard never received himself: I will murder her._

After reading this last line, Priscilla felt extremely weak. She finally realized why he always called her by her middle name. She wanted to scream in fear, yet the shock of all these revelations was too much for her, and no sound escaped her mouth. She turned to run and leave the room to alert someone, yet there to her horror stood Captain Gorlieu in front of the attic door. The young woman turned to run, only to trip and fall over the attic junk. She fell backwards through a loose wall panel, and into a small crawlspace where the foul smell was coming from. Priscilla discovered in fright that the cause of the smell was coming from rotting corpses stashed in this small area; the corpses of Gorlieu's previous wives.

The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream, and the Captain dashed to her and grabbed her by the arm. Priscilla pleaded and shouted for help from the servants in the house, yet no one came to her aide. Mistress Gorlieu tried to struggle from his grasp, but the Captain only chuckled wickedly and sneered, "Now that you know it all, it's time to finish the story that he never got a chance to."

The Captain dragged Priscilla downstairs into the mansion's cellar, where the evil man proceeded to tie and bound the poor woman. For his murderous deed, Gorlieu planned a slow death for her; walled up for days and slowly waste away or suffocate. Gore tied the lady to a pole in the corner, and proceeded to build a wall around her, brick by brick. Before the last brick was in place, she tried to shout through the gag that she would have her revenge against him. Shoving the last brick into place, the Captain was overjoyed. He had finally completed the task that his mentor was never able to finish. Gore was delighted, unaware that Priscilla would not rest in peace.

A few days after performing the murderous act, the first otherworldly occurrences began. While in the cellar, the Captain heard a low beating echoing throughout the room. It continued to grow louder and louder until it sounded like a bass drum. He traced the sound to the corner where he had bricked up his wife. Feeling disturbed by the sound, Gorlieu dashed back upstairs. But it would not stop there.

The next day, the beating continued louder than even before. It became so deafening that the Captain could even hear the sound in his study on the first floor. The beating soon became less unsettling and more annoying and maddening. He headed back down to the basement to put an end to the awful sound. Yet, when Gore stepped into the cellar, the pounding ceased.

Satisfied, the wicked man began to ascend the stairs, until he was stopped in his tracks by a low wailing noise emanating from the corner. The female moaning grew louder until it sounded like a banshee. Then, from behind the wall appeared a terrifying sight to the Captain's eyes: the apparition of Priscilla. It hovered by the wall, until it screamed and flew swiftly towards Gore. Screaming, the man ran up the stairs as fast as he possibly could and locked the door. Distraught by the ethereal sight, he made sure it wouldn't happen again and boarded up the cellar door. The Captain felt relieved, and thought that all his problems were now over. Yet, the fierceness of Priscilla's spirit was something that he underestimated.

That night in his chambers, the ghost caused a great disturbance to the seafaring gentleman. She flew open the doors and windows, threw and overturned objects, smashed mirrors and walls, and pounded loudly. This haunting continued for days, with Captain Gorlieu's sanity slipping away further and further, until he was a completely deranged man.

Knowing he could never find peace in his house again, the Captain fled the mansion and ran to the harbor to jump upon his ship the Navigator. Gore wanted to be as far away from the spirit as he could, and sailed his ship out into the Atlantic Ocean. Yet, unknowingly, Gorlieu sailed directly into a fierce storm. His ship was rocked and tossed like a toy boat, with waves continuously crashing upon the decks and pounding into the sides; so powerful that the wooden hull was almost being stripped away. The sails flailed wildly in the mercy of the fierce wind, and began to tear. Yet the insane Captain would not give up his ship; he was determined to make it through and escape Priscilla forever. However, great tidal waves continuously pushed the Navigator closer to the New York shore, until it hit a coastal pile of rocks with such force that the ship almost broke into thousands of splinters. True to the code of the sea, Captain Bartholomew Gorlieu went down to the depths with his ship.

_The next day after the wreck, Captain Gorlieu's body was found among the rocks of the shore. It was after his death, that the Captain's true murderous nature was revealed to the public by the Gorlieu Manor servants. The servants had known of the Captain's murderous deeds when they too came across the trunk and bodies as Priscilla had. However, they were sworn to secrecy by Gorlieu, for if they breathed a word to anyone else he would kill them and their families. And what of the Gorlieu mansion you may ask? Well, it was abandoned for many years; rumored to be haunted by the spirits of Priscilla and the Captain's other wives. There have been numerous sightings of eerie glows gleaming from within the manor, and apparitions of several different women appearing around the grounds. And on chilly autumn nights when passing the mansion, villagers say you can hear singing echoing in the wind:_

_Seven winsome wives_

_Two fat, five thin_

_Six of them were faithful_

_But the seventh's ghost did him in_

* * *

This story is based on the tale ofBluebeard and Ken Anderson's original idea for the Haunted Mansion storyline.

Btw, I just also want to give a huge thanks to Aquarian Wolf for her input and editing of my stories. :)

Next chapter: the story of Alexandria - The Egyptian Princess


	9. THE PANTHER'S SACRIFICE

**THE PANTHER'S SACRIFICE**

_After that little horrific tale, I think we should move onto a story about a slightly more elegant and mysterious slaughter, don't you? In our next portrait we shall journey back in time once again to the ancient civilization of Egypt. This painting here depicts a ravishing young Egyptian woman, holding a pristine rose in her hand and white flowers decorating her raven-like hair. This young lady was certainly wealthy, as seen by the pure white dress made from only the finest silk she's outfitted in, and the lavish sofa she is reclining upon. This regal woman was far from just wealthy though; she ruled the entire land both in power and finances. She was Irisi, the cold-hearted princess of the sands who ruled over her kingdom with an iron fist. The Egyptians despised the princess and her reign did not last very long...but she still managed to have her revenge in the end. We bring young the story of Irisi: The Egyptian Princess._

**IRISI:**

**THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS**

The lovely young Princess Irisi grew up in the lap of luxury in the ancient Egyptian civilization. She was the only daughter of Pharaoh Nebi and his wife Mie; the one who was destined to inherit the royal throne. The great Pharaoh Nebi had only ruled Egypt for a very brief amount of time, but was quickly loved by his people as he ruled the land with a kind and gracious nature. He listened intently to his followers and did his best to provide for them. The reign of Nebi was quickly wiped out however, as him and his wife both succumbed to the great sickness that was sweeping its way across the Egyptian kingdom. A new pharaoh needed to be brought into power of the land, and 14 year old Irisi was crowned the ruler of the small Egyptian village.

Having been accustomed to only the finest in her childhood, Irisi had only evolved into a spoiled and bratty young woman. She kept spending most of the royal family fortune on many frivolous items and luxury goods that only fed the Princess's greed. The girl was a vastly different ruler than that of her father, and cared little for the kingdom's people. She only saw them as a chance for them to be exploited for her own benefit, forcing them to construct enormous structures in her honor. The once loyal people now had come to despise the princess they had once loved.

A few months after being instated into power, a vicious pestilence soon ravaged over the land as a disease began to wipe out numerous amounts of animals and people. Cries from her followers begged Irisi for a way to help relieve them of the sickness that seemed to curse the land. For once, the spoiled Princess listened to the Egyptian people and proclaimed that only the gods would be able to help them.

The frantic villagers turned to their ancient religious scriptures, eager to find a way to banish the disease from choking their land. According to their primitive gospels, the only way to relieve a sickness such as this was to sacrifice their current pharaoh or leader to their great panther god that they worshiped since the beginning of the kingdom. Hearing of this, Irisi immediately refused to sacrifice herself to save the people. Irate that their leader stood in the way of their health, they attempted to storm the palace but were held back as the Princess commanded her guards to block all entryways. Finding no other available means of entering, some of the villagers climbed the palace's high walls and onto the balconies, where they succeeded in capturing Irisi in her barricaded chambers.

The poor woman screamed and kicked in vain to be released, as the people dragged her to the great holy temple to meet her fate. Tying her arms and legs to a large pole, they lit a fiery inferno of coal and wood in the pit of the ceremonial altar. The crowd chanted and furiously pounded on large drums to a steady haunting rhythm. The pounding continued to crescendo until it reached a thunderous climax that reverberated off the temple's high ceiling. In a second the drums and the chanting ceased, and all grew quiet in the large hall. The silence was shattered as the Princess Irisi let out a horrific scream as the high priests tossed the helpless and bound woman into the mouth of the pit. The people soon erupted into cheers of pure joy, hoping that with the woman's death the curse would be lifted off of the land.

But as the days rolled by, the disease continued to ravage everything in its path, hardly leaving any survivors within the kingdom. As time progressed, the pestilence seemed to grow more dire and turn the small village among the sand into a barren wasteland. Although, the most mysterious and devastating event to the people was still to come.

In the dark inky blackness of night, a sleek, mysterious creature made its way through the small kingdom. A creature that was black as the night itself snuck silently through the quiet streets, with its paws padding softly against the sand.

It wandered undetected along the dirt paths, before it finally made its way into one of the small dwellings of the village. The family within was awakened by a loud growling that grew louder until it finally erupted into a fierce roar. Bewildered and frightened, the innocent residents quickly tried to flee as the creature leapt. The family threw anything they could get their hands on at the large beast, but it seemed to merely shake them off and continued on its rampage to be rewarded its prize. It stared hungrily at the helpless villagers, its green eyes gleaming with the thought of its success. Seeing the doorway as the only escape, the family attempted to make their brake for freedom; only for it to be cut short as the feline creature bounded and pounced upon them. Digging its sharp claws into the backs of its helpless prey it growled with triumph before finally slaughtering them with its brute force.

Still not satisfied with its deed, the creature continued to make its way around the small civilization. It silently slipped in through windows or any openings it could find, before ripping and slashing the unsuspecting villagers silently in their sleep.

It wasn't until the next morning, that the remaining people had discovered the great massacre in many of the homes that were made by the silent killer. Everyone was completely baffled by the events, until one of the people who had been spared by the creature stood up and remarked that it looked like a large panther, but had the figure of a young woman as well. And from the last house that was mauled by the elusive creature, bloody paw prints made a path in the sand that only stopped in mid-tracks at a large ruby red pendant - the kind that only a pharaoh or a member of the royal Egyptian family were permitted to wear.

After the terrifying attack on the little village, the people moved away and abandoned the small civilization, leaving only small parts of it to ruin that still stand today. To this day, the mystery still has been unsolved; most people just shrugged it off as it being only some wild beast who had lost its way and wandered into the village. But there are many others who believe the creature to have been Irisi herself; reincarnated as a panther to seek her revenge against her traitorous people. Whatever the true identity of the creature is, people still believe the murderous beast continues to keep a menacing hold over the ruins of the once great kingdom, awaiting another victim to wander into its clutches.

_And so we conclude Princess Irisi's story on that morbid little note. Today, the old kingdom that the young woman had once ruled is now almost completely buried underneath the hots sands of the desert. Only a few bits of debris still protrude from underneath its tomb in the ground, a grim reminder of what the city once was. Very seldom explorers even tread foot near this spot in the barren land; for most of them too have heard legends and fear the curse that permeates around the ruins. For it is believed that when the moon is full and hangs high over the desert, Miss Irisi wanders and lies in wait for another traveler to claim as her victim._

_And so my dear friends, we now draw a curtain to our little gallery of the supernatural within the mansion. We do hope that you drop by again soon and admire these "charming" works of art. Their subjects' often get so lonely trapped in the canvas without any visitors. Do hurry back to the Gallery of the Macabre, and tell your friends. They'll be just dying to meet you._

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Once again, I want to extend a big thank you to my girlfriend Aquarian Wolf for all her help with sharing her editing skills on this story. I hope you all enjoyed the story. 


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